Our 4K Testing Methods

You may have recently seen a story and video on PC Perspective about a new TV that made its way into the office. Of particular interest is the fact that the SEIKI SE50UY04 50-in TV is a 4K television; it has a native resolution of 3840x2160. For those that are unfamiliar with the new upcoming TV and display standards, 3840x2160 is exactly four times the resolution of current 1080p TVs and displays. Oh, and this TV only cost us $1300.

In that short preview we validated that both NVIDIA and AMD current generation graphics cards support output to this TV at 3840x2160 using an HDMI cable. You might be surprised to find that HDMI 1.4 can support 4K resolutions, but it can do so only at 30 Hz (60 Hz 4K TVs won't be available until 2014 most likely), half the refresh rate of most TVs and monitors at 60 Hz. That doesn't mean we are limited to 30 FPS of performance though, far from it. As you'll see in our testing on the coming pages we were able to push out much higher frame rates using some very high end graphics solutions.

I should point out that I am not a TV reviewer and I don't claim to be one, so I'll leave the technical merits of the monitor itself to others. Instead I will only report on my experiences with it while using Windows and playing games - it's pretty freaking awesome. The only downside I have found in my time with the TV as a gaming monitor thus far is with the 30 Hz refresh rate and Vsync disabled situations. Because you are seeing fewer screen refreshes over the same amount of time than you would with a 60 Hz panel, all else being equal, you are getting twice as many "frames" of the game being pushed to the monitor each refresh cycle. This means that the horizontal tearing associated with Vsync will likely be more apparent than it would otherwise.

I would likely recommend enabling Vsync for a tear-free experience on this TV once you are happy with performance levels, but obviously for our testing we wanted to keep it off to gauge performance of these graphics cards.

Throughout the story I'll have videos of our 4K footage on YouTube and to download natively. The videos include our Frame Rating overlay on them but otherwise are simple H.264 nearly 100 mbps 3840x2160 videos.

If you just want some screenshots, I have put together a ZIP file of them that you can download right here.

Also worth noting is our continued use of our Frame Rating capture-based performance testing. As far as I know, no other outlet or company (including AMD or NVIDIA) has figured out how to capture video reliably at 3840x2160 @ 30 Hz. The current maximum that was supported by the FCAT-ready reviewers was 2560x1440 @ 60 Hz. Here is a comparison:

1920x1080 @ 60 Hz - 124.4 Mpix/s

2560x1440 @ 60 Hz - 221.1 Mpix/s

2560x1600 @ 60 Hz - 245.7 Mpix/s

3840x2160 @ 30 Hz - 248.8 Mpix/s

So for the time being at least, we think we are the only ones providing you with accurate, capture-based performance testing results for high end graphics cards at 4K resolutions. I hope you find the results informative!

HD 7970 vs GTX 680 vs GTX Titan - We have combined the top end single GPU solutions in a single graph to see how they stack up and included the Titan even though it is twice the price of the HD 7970 and GTX 680.

GTX 680 2GB vs GTX 680 4GB - Our friends at EVGA were kind enough to send us some 4GB versions of the GTX 680 so we could test how much the additional frame buffer affects performance and potentially stutter in SLI configurations.

HD 7970 CrossFire vs GTX 680 SLI vs GTX Titan SLI - In reality, we should only be comparing the HD 7970 in CF and GTX 680s in SLI but we tossed in the Titan as well just to mix things up.

HD 7990 vs GTX 690 vs GTX Titan - For this test we are calling the "$999 Level" I wanted to see how all the currently available thousand dollar graphics cards held up against one another, regardless of their single or dual-GPU status.

HD 7990 13.5 beta vs HD 7990 Prototype 2 - Even though we know the frame pacing problems with the HD 7990 will continue at 4K resolutions, I have included results using the very early prototype driver from AMD with the HD 7990 as well as the currently available 13.5 beta driver.

How come you're running these tests with AA enabled? We use AA at standard resolutions because the pixels are "too big" and makes edges look jagged. At 4k I don't think it's necessary. Yes, a 55" screen at 4k has a lower ppi than 2560x1440 at 27". But you're going to be sitting much further back from the TV so you can actually see enough of the screen, making the pixels take up less radians of what you see, reducing the perceived pixel size. If we get a 4k monitor at 27" then I don't see AA being of any use at all.

Aliasing(in whatever form it comes, e.g. shader aliasing) is still an issue on any resolution, no matter how high it gets.

Playing without AA is a no-go for me.
First I try if I can enable 4x or 8x SGSSAA and if performance is okay. Works great if you find the right compatibility bits to force it(DX9 games) or if the game offers ingame-MSAA to enhance via driver(mostly DX10 and 11 games).

If that fails, I try to downsample it via custom resolution in the NVControlPanel (3840x2160 or 2880x1620 to 1080p, which is essentially OGSSAA), maybe add post processing-AA too if it doesn't blur the textures too much.

Using post processing-AA(FXAA, MLAA, SMAA, TXAA) alone is the last resort.
Though recently some games (for example Max Payne 3's FXAA, Crysis 3's 4x SMAA mode which includes an MSAA-part) had some good implementations where not much sharpness was lost due to blur.

These "you can't tell the difference" comments gotta go. If you can't tell the difference then just say "I can't tell the difference" so we can all point at you and laugh, and then frown at our empty wallets.

Can the current non-$999 GPUs run windows or surf the web smoothly (i.e. upscale 720p or 1080p, display website text smooth while scrolling, etc...)??? If not at 30 or 60fps, when would you expect to see sub-$500 cards capable of running office/non-gaming tasks at 4K?

Office apps etc and other 2D graphics take practically no effort at all for a graphics card. Thats already been true for years. Even a basic graphics card can already do it easily. Maybe movies in full-screen might be a load, but if you're not gaming, thats about the only thing that would be.

Sorry to be that guy, but 3840x2160 is not 4K. Having pointed out both 1080p and 2K in the diagram, you should know the difference; this standards confusion is going to be problematic for the customer and the press isn't helping.

Anyway, 30Hz is absolutely a no-no. Too bad Display Port isn't common on TVs. Or in general.

If I remember correctly, a number of TV manufacturers changed "4K" to QFHD (Quad Full HD) in fear of possible lawsuits because similar thing happened before: manufacturers were sued for false advertising for size (example: 26.7 in as "27 in and similar).

"I think the quad-HD resolution of 4K is a sight to behold." This is your last comment, I take that as you LOVE 4k gaming? My friend watched the preview and said he didn't see anybody jumping up and down. The first HD broadcast nfl game I saw, I was shocked. The first time in crisis seeing the jungle, my jaw dropped. The first 1440p game I was like I love this. My first dvd, then Blu-ray, etc.

I interpreted your non-verbal behavior as this was a jaw dropping experience for you guys, but since there was little verbal praise I'm wondering is this awesome. I explained to him that old, crusty, grizzled, seen it all, never give praise vets do love it.

Now call me daft (or stupid) but if the settings in the game are only showing 1080p (or 1200p) surely that means the game itself is being rendered by the PC at that resolution and the game is then being upscaled by the display? I'm probably missing something by only looking at the pretty pictures but until I see the actual resolution being played as a 1:1 ratio then I won't fully believe that the game is being 'played' at 4K, it's only being displayed at 4k. I'm happy to be corrected though!

Good question. I also wonder if the tv does automatic upscalling or is there options to pick 1440p or others. I wouldn't mind just using it as a big 1440p monitor since my 580 won't be able to keep up anyway.

I believe it really is 3840x2160. I've downloaded the video (horribly compressed though)and captured frames for close inspection. You can also take a look at the full-sized images that come with the article. There is AA so I can't be 100% sure but I think it's rendered at 2160p.

I believe EVGA Precision also allows bumping up the pixel clock to get higher refresh rates. Otherwise, using something like CRU(found in the links above) will help with making custom timing parameters which will lower the pixel clock further.

Without using the pixel clock patcher, I made a custom resolution for 3840x2160 @ 31Hz and it worked. When I tried 32 Hz, TV either showed a blue screen with message "Not support" or it would skip every other column when drawing pixels, causing the resulting image to be blurry.

It's all about the angle between pixel centers. Further you go, angle is lower (which is good).

If you want such a high [angular] resolution, you can always sit further away, can't you? But if you have a small display with the same resolution, you'd have to sit closer, and you can't keep coming closer forever.

Skyrim at 4k. Mmm. Ryan you are such a tease. What with me not being able to afford it for another few years.
Nice article. Can't wait for you to run it again with the new crop of amd cards coming down the pike this fall.

Well I tried to download the MP4 but I get a ridiculous message from MEGA.co.nz saying that "your browser is not modern enough to download a file this large" and I can't download it.
Really?!? I can't download a file <700MB in the latest version of Safari for Snow Leopard? How much is Google paying them for that lame (and completely false) advertisement? FYI, Chrome is using the same underpinnings as my browser, WebKit.
I guess all those 1.5GB Combo Updaters and Service Packs etc that I downloaded never really happened, since I can't download files as large as 684MB according to Mega.
I don't trust anybody that withholds information and lies about why they are holding it back from you.

When we're dealing with human perspective, resolution is not a pure number of pixels. Pure number of pixels is called "pixel count".

Now, we tend to perceive things this way: 4x4 image is twice as clear / sharp as the same 2x2 image. Therefore, you need to quadruple the pixel count to double "The Resolution". Just like "Retina" iPad looks [up to] twice as sharp as the old one.

Some tester said this HDTV managed to overclock -- it was able to accept 192Hz at 1280x720 (but that frameskipped). There is no answer about how 2560x1600 120Hz would behave -- someone will need to test that out.

I have the same card X2 running in Quad SLI ..
Ordered 2 of the Tvs ...
Can't get it to run any Higher than 1080p and it looks like Crap ... 8(
Using the factory Adapters DVI < HDMI that came with the cards from ASUS.
No Joy ...
Even tried a Mini DP to Hdmi cable that I had on my other Rig ... No joy .. dosnt work.

Any possibility of uploading one of the captured video files? Maybe not one of these 4K ones, but some of the ones from the other reviews? I'd like to see the video with the color bars on it, and maybe mess around with running the data extraction myself.

So as I understand this new 4k tech - for desktop use only - does HDMI 1.4 spec only support 30hz refresh rates? If so, that would mean some very stuttery mouse movements (such as the difference between using 1080i and 1080p on the desktop). Very jittery mouse movement.

I am far less interested in what this new "inexpensive" new Seiki monitor can do for me in gaming and more for what it is capable of as far as desktop productivity. If my mouse if jumping around, or when trying to relocate a window, is terribly jittery and craptacular - then I will be waiting for the next gen of graphics support that will enable smooth desktop useage.

I am inclined to believe that it "should" be smooth, considering that 'eyefinity" can handle 6x1080p monitors smoothly. I would certainly love to replace the need for 6 monitors with 2 of these - which would technically provide more usable space.

It amuses me that the 30hz limitation is unimportant in the review. It shows a fundamental lack of understanding on people's computing needs. Get back with me when we have DisplayPort 1.2 on the thing and some real bandwidth to push practical hz.

I have this display hooked into a WC titan/ OC 3770K rig. Once you get into the service menu and turn off the TV signal processing crap and adjust the lighting, the Seiki works wonderfully as a monitor for anything windows 2D... No mouse lag or skipping whatsoever. So its QED from that perspective... Simply astonishing clarity and real estate.

Gaming? Again, disable all the tV SP crap... You are still limited by 1) signal transmission tech, and 2) this $1100 panel (yes... Search for it) can only do 30Hz refresh at UHD. At lower rez it does much higher refresh. 60Hz UHD will be a year or more before it's "affordable". At 1440p this panel looks amazing when gaming.

Question for you...
I purchased this TV and have a 4K up-scaling receiver. I would like to try it on my computer but my GTX 550 can't run that resolution. I am not a gamer but do a lot with photoshop & video editing. Is there a less expensive solution for video cards (must have HDMI out)? There isn't a lot on the internet about this subject.

Question for you...
I purchased this TV and have a 4K up-scaling receiver. I would like to try it on my computer but my GTX 550 can't run that resolution. I am not a gamer but do a lot with photoshop & video editing. Is there a less expensive solution for video cards (must have HDMI out)? There isn't a lot on the internet about this subject.

For desktop work, any low end 7-series AMD or 6-series NVidia should do it. You really do not need a high end card for windows desktop work.

Seiki just pubed a firmware update that some say addresses occasional (and very panel specific) handshake loos (1sec) BUT it knocks out the audio! Seiki responded that they are working on the problem. Seems like a lot of postprocessing and special EFX pros are buying these. (see reduser.net forum).

I grabbed on these Seiki TV's and currently am using it as a monitor. I have a GTX680 and am looking at upgrading to a GTX690.
What I wanted to make sure is that the DVI-D to HMDI adapter is enough to run the full resolution of the TV? I am sure that it is as you have tested it as I dont think that GTX690's have HDMI do they?

anything
My seiki 39" can do 2560x1440 @100hz
1920x1080 @120hz using gtx 680 4gb sli. I have come across this website a lot and watched the lengthy videos without ever finding this important piece of information. (create the resolutions and test them on the NVidia control panel).

I got a seiki 4k tv 39in led and with vsync off yes I get screen tearing in some parts but with the 7990 it scales extremely well. It looks fantastic batman arkham origins looks phenomenal and it plays great. Crysis 3 I had to limit to medium settings and it played great as well. As long as you disable vsync you'll get similar fps to playing in 60hz. I got the tv on sale at tigerdirect for 300 bucks! Hell might as well try it! If you have the gpu to push it you will see a difference. All of my friends that came over did they were highly impressed.